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Travel tips
What can be worse? Paying through your nose for a basic hotel room in a resort town or having your friend brag about how he spent half you did and got a sea-facing room.
He just was smarter. Admit it. He played by the rules, yet walked away with the goodies. Reason: Upgrades, a magic word that everyone is talking about these days.
These are the days of paying less and getting more. Upgrades are the surprise package in everything from flights to hotels to even trains. Fly business class while paying economy, pay for a deluxe a/c room and get upgraded to a suite, buy a III A/c train ticket and travel in the relative luxury of II a/c. Can life get better?
So, what is an upgrade and how can you go about it?
An upgrade is an airline, railway or hotel's way of thanking you for loyalty even as they ensure they are fully booked. For instance, if you book sleeper class in a train that has a huge waiting list in that category, but is running near-empty in the a/c section, it makes sense to upgrade those in the sleeper class to a/c to allow more people to board the train. More money and the train runs full.
Regulars who buy cheap tickets and book economy in hotels have a near-perfect routine they follow to get an upgrade. Here are some of them.
In an airline, join a frequent flier programme. Some airlines give priority to members when it comes to upgrades. And, be nice to the check-in staff, letting them know you would love to be upgraded if there is a possibility. Chances are you will be.
As for hotels, book one of the least expensive rooms, but ask them for an upgrade. If it does not expect to be fully booked, the hotel will usually oblige. Both parties stand to gain. You get a better room and the hotel earns your loyalty.
Some tips
Check in after dinner. By now, the hotel knows how many rooms are vacant.
Join frequent-guest programmes. You don't have to stay often in a hotel to take advantage of this. Flashing your membership card often signifies your interest in the hotel and they will reward you for it.
Be polite. This decides whether you will end up in a five-star suite or a basic room near the staircase.
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